Chapter 9 Network Booting Diskless Clients with LynxOS

LynxOS Networking Guide

Network Booting Diskless Clients with LynxOS

LynxOS supports network booting (netboot) of remote machines over a TCP/IP network. This chapter describes how to netboot diskless clients over an Ethernet or an SCMP connection.

Overview

Netboot allows a configured LynxOS kernel image to be downloaded onto a machine without a hard disk. The kernel image can be downloaded in one of these ways:

Ethernet (see "Ethernet Netboot" )

PXE Netboot (see "Configuring PXE Netboot Support" )

Snugly Coupled MultiProcessing (SCMP) (see page "SCMP Netboot" )

These diskless clients can also access remote file systems over the network. See the LynxOS Hardware Support Guide (available on the Documentation CD-ROM and the lynuxworks website) for the list of hardware configurations that support network booting.

Booting a diskless client involves these tasks:

Creating a LynxOS kernel image to netboot.

Configuring the diskless client.

Downloading the LynxOS kernel.

These tasks apply to all netboot protocols.

Using the LynuxWorks Netboot Scripts

LynuxWorks provides ready-to-use scripts for both Ethernet and SCMP network booting. These scripts are in the following locations:

/sys/romkit/remote_boot (Ethernet)

/sys/romkit/scmp_boot (SCMP)

LynuxWorks created these scripts to produce a typical configuration for a diskless client. They can be used in their default configuration or as a template for other applications.

Note: On LynxOS cross-development systems, these scripts are located in $ENV_PREFIX/sys/romkit/remote_boot and $ENV_PREFIX/sys/romkit/scmp_boot.

Copying Scripts Before Customizing

These netboot scripts should be copied before editing them. Use the following procedure to make a copy of the netboot scripts.

Move to the directory that contains the netboot scripts.

# cd /sys/romkit

Make a copy of the netboot scripts.

# cp -r remote_boot ethernet_client

This produces a working copy named ethernet_client.

Note: This chapter uses the original name of the directories in the examples.

Restrictions

The netboot scripts must be executed on either a LynxOS native system or a compatible cross-development system. For example, to create a netboot image for a diskless client, the scripts must be executed on a disk-based LynxOS native system or a supported LynxOS cross-development system.

Ethernet Netboot

In Ethernet netboot, the client-specific or shared LynxOS kernel image is downloaded from a server using the Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP), an architecture-dependent feature.

Before Beginning

The easiest way to netboot a diskless client with LynxOS is to use the scripts in the following location: /sys/romkit/remote_boot

These scripts assume that a single disk-based LynxOS system is being used for the diskless client via NFS to perform the following tasks:

Build the netboot image.

Boot the diskless client.

Serve the root file system.

Before running the netboot scripts, make sure that the diskbased server is of the same architecture type (x86, PowerPC) as the intended diskless client. Or, on a cross-development host, make sure that the appropriate LynxOS tools are available for the target architecture.

Before proceeding with the scripts, information about the disk-based server and diskless client(s) is required. The following table provides a list of this information, with examples.

Server and Client Information Needed to Configure Netboot (Denoted by X)

Parameter

Disk-Based Server

Diskless Client

Notes

Hostname

X

X

A text string created of letters (A-Z a-z), digits (0-9), hyphen (-), and or slash (/). For example, clientppc2 is a valid hostname.

IP Address

X

X

A valid Internet Protocol address, usually of the form A.B.C.D. For example, 192.1.1.2 is a valid IP address.

Ethernet Interface

X

X

The LynxOS device name for the network interface card on the diskless client. The intro man page contains a list of valid device names by hardware type.

Ethernet Address

X

A 6 byte hexadecimal number. For example, 08:00:3E:23:8C:BD is a valid Ethernet address.

Use the cnfg command from the VMEbug monitor (PowerPC clients) to find the Ethernet address. On x86 clients, look for a label on the Ethernet card. On Solaris clients, use the ifconfig ie0 command.

Configuring the Disk-Based Server

To configure the disk-based server, perform the following tasks:

Enable TFTP services.

Export the root directory for diskless client via NFS.

Build the diskless client configuration files, the netbootable image, and necessary start-up files.

Put the image and start-up files in a download directory.

The following sections give a brief description of what these tasks involve. For additional information, See "Example-Netbooting a FORCE PowerCore 680 Board" .

Note: TFTP is a potential security risk. Use caution when configuring it.

For instructions on configuring PXE support, see "Configuring PXE Netboot Support".

Enabling TFTP for LynxOS

The following instructions are for LynxOS native development systems. TFTP cross development system instructions vary. See "Configuring TFTP on Cross Development System".

The /etc/inetd.conf file contains the TFTP service information. This file must contain the following line:

tftp dgram udp wait root /net/tftpd tftpd

If this information is added, a SIGHUP signal must be sent to the inetd process. Find the process ID using the ps command. Then send the SIGHUP signal with the kill command.

Find the process id for /etc/inetd.conf with the ps command.

# ps ax | grep inetd

Send the SIGHUP signal to the inetd process with the kill command.

# kill <process_id>

Configuring TFTP on Cross Development System

TFTP instructions differ on different cross development systems. Solaris TFTP configurations are similar to LynxOS. Refer to the Solaris tftp man page for instructions.

On Linux systems, users must edit the tftp file in /etc/xinetd.d/ and restart internet services with xinetd. Refer to the xinetd and tftp man pages for instructions. Sample instructions for configuring TFTP on a Linux system is provided in "Example-Netbooting a FORCE PowerCore 680 Board".

Windows does not include a TFTP server in its distribution. LynuxWorks includes a shareware TFTP server on the Cross Development Kit (CDK) distribution. Proceed as follows:

Install the CDK CD-ROM on the Windows cross development host. Refer to the section, "Windows Cross Development Installation" in the LynxOS Installation Guide.

Consulting Windows documentation, set up TCP/IP support on the host.

Locate the file c:\Lynx\4p0p0\tftppro.zip, the shareware TFTP server from WaluSoft in zipped format. Follow instructions provided with the WaluSoft TFTP distribution to set up TFTP service. Pay special attention to the outgoing server path from the Setup menu; it should point to the host CD-ROM.

Exporting the Root File System Via NFS

The disk-based server must be set up so that it can provide a root file system to the diskless client. The server can then export this file system via NFS. When using the default settings for the netboot scripts, certain directories and files are required in the root file system for the diskless client.

Use the following procedure to export the root file system to the diskless client:

Copy the following directories from the LynxOS distribution to the new root file system directory.

ENVIRONMENT

bin/

     bash

     exportfs

     ifconfig

     login

     syncer

     reboot

     touch

lib/

net/

     inetd

     portmap

     mountd

     nfsd

     rpc.lockd.clnt

     rpc.lockd.svc

     rpc.statd

sys/

tmp/

(Optional) In addition, the following utilities can be copied:

bin/

     cat

     df

     ftp

     less

     ls

     ping

     ps

     rlogin

Export the root file system with the exportfs command.

# exportfs -av

For more information on the exportfs command, see exportsfs man page.

Building the Netboot Image

The Makefile in /sys/romkit/remote_boot builds a clientspecific configuration file for each diskless client. LynxOS uses this configuration file to build the kernel image and supporting files that it downloads over the network to the diskless client.

Putting the Netboot Files in the Download Directory

This final step creates the directory /tftpboot and copies the netboot image and start-up files to this directory. The firmware of the diskless client must be configured with the full path name of this directory and the netbootable image.

Configuring the Diskless Client

To remotely boot the diskless client, perform these steps:

Configure the firmware with information about the server, the download files, and the load address.

Start netboot.

Because these commands are platform-dependent, the following sections briefly describe the commands by platform type.

For instructions on configuring PXE support, see "Configuring PXE Netboot Support".

Setting Up the PowerPC System

For the PowerPC system, the network booting code is available as a programmable option in the env settings of the VMEbug Monitor.

Use the following procedure to set this parameter.

Reboot/reset the CPU board.

Enter the Bug Monitor (this typically involves pressing the Break key during CPU reset).

Enabling NVRAM on the PowerPC

In newer PowerPC boards, the real-time clock is disabled. The real-time clock must be enabled before netbooting LynxOS. Use the set command at the VMEbug prompt (abbreviated xxxxBug) to set the time, thus enabling the clock:

# set MMDDYYhhmm

Disabling PReP-Boot on PowerPC

The PReP-Boot setting defaults to yes on PowerPC boards. Disable this (no) with the env command.

xxxx-Bug> env
Network PReP-Boot Mode Enable [Y/N] = Y? N
...
Update Non-Volatile RAM (Y/N)? Y

Setting Netboot Parameters

Note: The boot filename is normally just the filename. If the full path is given, it may fail to load.

Use the niot command at the VMEbug prompt to set the network booting parameters specific to the system's hardware configuration.

Only a few parameters need to be changed. For more details about the commands, consult the Motorola VMEbug documentation.

xxxx-Bug> niot

Client IP Address = [192.1.1.2] ?
Server IP Address = [192.1.1.1] ?
...
(Choose the Subnet IP Address Mask
appropriately)
...
Boot File Name = [/file] ?
Boot File Load Address = [00000000] ?
Boot File Execution Address = [00000000] ?
...
Update Non-Volatile RAM (Y/N)? Y

The following table shows the boot file load and execution addresses, which are platform-dependent

Boot File Addresses for PowerPC Systems

Target

Boot File Load Address

Boot File Execution Address

PowerPC

00004000

00004020

.

Booting the Remote Kernel Image

Use the nbo command to network boot the image.

xxxx-Bug> nbo

Setting Up PPC PowerCore Systems

Use the following procedure to set up PPC PowerCore systems:

At the PowerBoot prompt, enter the following command for an individual boot-image:

PowerBoot> netload <netboot_file> 400000 <target_IP> \ <host_IP>

where <host_IP> is the Host IP address and <target_IP> is the target system IP address.

Note: Depending on how the server is configured, the path may or may not require the full path to the netboot image (/tftboot/<netboot_file>).

After the download finishes, enter the following command:

PowerBoot> go 400020

Setting Up Thales VMPC Systems

Thales VMPC boot firmware netboot a PreP image using the bootp protocol. This requires the server to run the bootpd daemon with the /etc/bootptab file populated with the appropriate information on the netbootable image. For more detailed information, see the man page on bootp on the server machine.

The netbootable image generated by mkimage would be run through the mkbootprep utility in order to create a prep-bootable image for Thales machines.

Setting Up Thales VMPC

Use the following procedure to set up Cetia VMPC:

Make sure that the /etc/bootptab file on the server has an entry for the required image, and that the bootpd daemon is running.

At the VMPC Bug prompt, enter the following command:

COMMAND> ebop

Example-Netbooting a FORCE PowerCore 680 Board

The following table shows an example ethernet netboot configuration that is used in the steps on configuring the disk-based server and diskless client for the PowerPC.

Note: Most of the steps to configure the disk-based server for the PowerPC and for Sun hosts (SunOS and Solaris) are the same. Any differences that do exist are explained below.

Ethernet Netboot Configuration

Parameter

Disk-Based Server

Diskless Client

Platform

Linux Host

LynxOS Cross Development Environment

with pc_680 BSP installed

Force PowerCore 680

Hostname

linuxcdk

fpc1

IP Address

192.1.1.1

192.1.1.2

Ethernet Address

Not needed.

08:00:3E:23:8C:BD

Preparing the Board

To prepare the target board for downloading, proceed as follows:

Obtain an Internet Protocol (IP) address and network host name for the target board. In the instructions below, 192.1.1.2 is used as an IP address and fpc1 is used as the PowerCore network host name.

Obtain the Ethernet address of the PowerCore target board. This address is displayed during the power-up self test after a reboot or power cycle of the board. These instructions use 00:80:42:0E:0C:02.

Follow the PowerCore manufacturer's installation instructions to power up the board, attach the serial terminal, and establish a method of inputting keystrokes to the PowerBoot firmware. Proper setup will result in the PowerBoot> prompt being displayed on the serial terminal.

Attach the PowerCore target board to the local network using the twisted pair Ethernet connector located on the front panel of the PowerCore target board.

To set up a point-to-point network (for example, to attach directly to a laptop notebook), please remember to use an uplink cable. This is a Category 5 twisted pair cable that has been crossed for uplink. If connecting to a hub, a regular Category 5 cable suffices.

Configuring a Network Server

The firmware monitor on the PowerCore 680 board, PowerBoot, has built-in support for downloading bootable images over the Ethernet using TFTP (Trivial File Transfer Protocol).

Configuring TFTP on a Linux Cross Development Host

TFTP is required by the target to load the developer.kdi. Use the following instructions to enable TFTP on the host system:

Edit /etc/ethers to include the Ethernet address of the Target board:

# vi /etc/ethers

/etc/ethers file

#Ethernet Address     Client Hostname

08:00:3E:23:8C:BD     fpc1

Edit the /etc/hosts file to include the hostname and IP address of the Target board:

# vi /etc/hosts

/etc/hosts file

#IP Address      Client Hostname

192.168.1.2      fpc1

Create the tftpboot directory:

# mkdir /tftpboot

Enable TFTP by editing the tftp file

# cd /etc/xinetd.d/

# vi tftp

In the disable field, type "no" to enable TFTP.

In the server_args field type "/tftpboot". The following provides a sample tftp file.

Sample tftp configuration file

# default: off

# description: The tftp server serves files using the trivial file transfer \

# protocol. The tftp protocol is often used to boot diskless \

# workstations, download configuration files to network-aware printers, \

# and to start the installation process for some operating systems.

service tftp

{

   socket_type = dgram

   protocol = udp

   wait = yes

   user = root

   server = /usr/sbin/in.tftpd

   server_args = /tftpboot

   disable = no

}

Restart the xinetd services:

# cd /etc/rc.d/init.d

# ./xinetd restart

Network Booting the Target Board

Once the TFTP server is configured and operational on the host, demo Kernel Downloadable Images (KDIs) are downloaded to the PowerCore target board. These demos are located in the directory \demo\demo.<bsp_name> on the distribution CD-ROM.

Insert the LynxOS Open Development Environment (ODE) CD-ROM into the host system CD-ROM drive and mount it.

Copy the hello.kdi file from the /demo/demo.pc_680 directory of the distribution CD-ROM into the /tftpboot directory on the TFTP server so that it can be downloaded from there onto the target board.

Download the demo KDI to the PowerCore target board. At the PowerBoot> prompt on the target, type:

netload hello.kdi 400000 <target_IP> <host_IP>

where

<target_IP> IP address of the target

<host_IP> IP address of the server

For example:

PowerBoot> netload hello.kdi 400000 192.168.1.1 \ 192.168.1.2

Note: If the security feature of TFTP is disabled or not supported on the server, the file name is prepended with the /tftpboot path component. Thus, in the example above, /tftpboot/hello.kdi is specified in this case.

Boot the demo KDI on the PowerCore target:

PowerBoot> go 400020

The following output is displayed on the console:

LynxOS POWERPC Version 4.0.0

Force PowerCore PC_DRM board support package

Copyright 1997-2002 LynuxWorks Inc.

All rights reserved.

LynxOS (ppc) created Tue Jan 02 19:49:10 PDT 2002

hello_world from C - reset machine or cycle the power to end this demo

hello_world from C++ - reset machine or cycle the power to end this demo

Reset the power to end the demo.

The preceding process can be used to download a custom LynxOS KDI as well as other KDIs supplied with the distribution.

Since the image is in RAM, it is volatile and is erased as soon as the board is reset. To keep a static version of the image, it must be burnt into target board flash memory. The next section details this procedure.

Booting from Flash Memory

The previous procedure is useful for booting a target board quickly. Because the image is loaded into target RAM, it is volatile and is erased as soon as the board is reset.

To keep the image permanently on the target board, it is burned into target flash memory. The following outlines this procedure:

Erase flash bank #1, user_flash1, on the target board:

PowerBoot> ferase user_flash1

Download the demo KDI to the PowerCore target board. At the PowerBoot> prompt on the target, type:

netload hello.kdi 400000 <target_IP> <host_IP>

where

<target_IP> IP address of the target

<host_IP> IP address of the server.

Note: If the security feature of TFTP is disabled or not supported on the server, the file name is prepended with the /tftpboot path component. Thus, in the example above, /tftpboot/hello.kdi is specified.

Program the image into flash bank #1:

PowerBoot> fprog user_flash1 400000

Boot the demo KDI from the PowerCore target's flash memory

PowerBoot> go ff000020

The following output is displayed to the console:

LynxOS POWERPC Version 4.0.0

Force PowerCore PC_DRM board support package

Copyright 1997-2002 LynuxWorks Inc.

All rights reserved.

LynxOS (ppc) created Tue Jan 02 19:49:10 PDT 2002

hello_world from C - reset machine or cycle the power to end this demo

hello_world from C++ - reset machine or cycle the power to end this demo

Reset the power to end the demo.

Now, every time the board is reset, boot the image by entering the following command at the PowerBoot> prompt:

PowerBoot> go ff000020

The above process can be used to download a custom LynxOS KDI as well as other KDIs supplied with the distribution.

Configuring PXE Netboot Support

Network cards enabled with the Prebooting Execution Environment (PXE) specification provide x86 client systems the ability to boot software images without having to reconfigure hardware or burn EPROMs. PXE-enabled network cards receive network configuration from a LynxOS PXE server via DHCP. Network configurations include local IP address, DNS, and Router information. The client also receives a boot loader file. The boot loader file locates the system serving the kernel image, and downloads it to the client system using tftp.

The following sections describe the steps required to configure the PXE Server and Client systems.

Note: PXE Netboot support is available for x86 systems only.

Configuring the PXE Client

Configuration of the PXE client varies depending on the hardware used. Configure the PXE network card according to the specifications provided by the card's manufacturer.

Configuring the PXE Server

Configuring a LynxOS system as a PXE server involves configurations in several areas, enabling DHCP, and enabling TFTP. Use the following sections to configure the system to respond to PXE requests.

Configure DHCP

DHCP must be enabled and running to provide PXE support. Information on configuring DHCP is provided in "DHCP". To configure DHCP to accept requests from PXE clients, it is necessary to specify two options in dhcpd.conf that allow for PXE netbooting:

dhcpd.conf addition for PXE devices

option dhcp-class-identifier

"PXEClient";

allow booting;

allow bootp;

filename "/tftpboot/<lynxOS.0>";

Where <lynxOS.0> is the filename of the bootloader.

The second option requires a hexadecimal string that must exist on the same line as the option statement with no spaces or line breaks:

dhcpd.conf hexadecimal string addition

option vendor-encapsulated-options 09:0f:80:00:0c:4e:65:74:77:6f:72:6b:20:62:6f:6f:74:0a:07:00:50:72:6f:6d:70:74:06:01:02:08:03:80:00:00:47:04:80:00:00:00:ff;

The dhcpd daemon must be restarted after editing dhcpd.conf:

Find the Process ID (PID) of the DHCP daemon (dhcpd) with this command:

# ps -axon | grep dhcpd

Use the kill command to stop the process.

# kill PID

Restart the DHCP daemon:

# /net/dhcpd

Configure tftp

tftp must be enabled and running for the PXE client to receive the kernel image. For information on configuring tftp, see "Enabling TFTP for LynxOS".

Configure Bootloader, KDI, and preboot files

The bootloader file, along with the KDI (Kernel Downloadable Image) and modified preboot files must be accessible via tftp. These files should be placed in the tftp root directory (/tftpboot) as:

lynxOS.0 (bootloader)

lynxOS.1 (preboot)

lynxOS.2 (KDI)

Where lynxOS is the basename of the loader and image files. By default, the basename is lynxOS, but the file can be renamed, if desired. However, the file extensions (.0, .1, .2) must be used consistently. If, for example, a user wanted to rename the file to the hostname of the system, it must be renamed hostname.0, hostname.1, and hostname.2.

Note: The Kernel Downloadable Image (KDI) file, lynxOS.2, must be created by the user. Refer to the LynxOS User's Guide for more information on creating a KDI.

SCMP Netboot

The Netboot facility for systems using SCMP is very similar to the Ethernet version. The main differences are as follows:

SCMP runs only on the following platform:

PowerPC --MVME5100

Boot image sharing is not possible.

A set of tools is necessary to operate SCMP (see bpconfig, slaveboot, bplane.conf).

Note: Before booting a diskless client over a SCMP network, configure the SCMP network as described in "SCMP".

How Does It Work?

As in Ethernet netboot, a diskless client is booted in two steps. The tools and protocols, however, differ slightly as follows:

The server downloads the boot-image using the slaveboot command. This automatically starts the client.

The boot procedure establishes the client as an SCMP network node, determines its root file system server, and then loads the LynxOS kernel.

Configuring the Disk-Based Server

As in Ethernet netboot, the following steps need to be performed to configure the disk-based server:

Enable TFTP services.

Export root directory for diskless client via NFS.

Build diskless client configuration files, the netbootable image, and necessary start-up files.

Put image and start-up files in a download directory.

See See "Ethernet Netboot" . for an overview of these steps. Then read the following sections for SCMP-specific information.

Building the SCMP Netboot Image

The Makefile in /sys/romkit/scmp_boot builds a clientspecific configuration file for each diskless client. This configuration file is used to build the kernel image and supporting files to be downloaded over the network to the diskless client.

# cd /sys/romkit/scmp_boot
# make config

The following figure shows an example SCMP netboot configuration.

Choose the bsp for which the scmp image is needed

1: [ gen1 ]

2: [ pp_drm ]

3: [ cpci_drm ]

4: [ pc_drm ]

   5: [ mvme5100 ]

q/Q: Quit

enter selection: 2

SCMP Netboot Configuration

**************************

TFTP-Server Configuration

=========================

Please specify the location of the TFTP-directory
[/tftpboot]:<Return>

Enter the IP-Address of the TFTP-Server (aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd) [192.1.1.1]:<Enter IP>

Checking IP-Address 192.1.1.1...ok.

Specify the name of the NFS-Server for the root filesystem [lynxdemo]:server-ppc1

Specify the directory containing the root filesystem on the NFS-Server [/clients/cpu2]:/clients/clientppc2

Diskless Client Configuration

=============================

Enter the IP-Address of the diskless client (aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd) [192.1.1.2]: 192.1.1.2

Checking IP-Address 192.168.1.80...ok.

Hosts database to use on this client [/etc/hosts]:

Writing file netboot.config-1...ok.

Example, SCMP Netboot Configuration
Multiple clients can be configured within a single build environment by giving them different CPU IDs:

# make CPUID=2 config

The remainder of the build procedure is identical to the Ethernet version. To create the netboot image (still in /sys/romkit/scmp_boot):

# make all

To install the image and client files in the download directory: (/tftpboot by default):

# make install

Starting a Diskless Client

On the server, which also must run SCMP, type:

# slaveboot /tftpboot/<hex_IP_addr>.lynxos.netboot \ <clienthostname>

where <hex_IP_addr> is the hexadecimal notation of the client's IP address (e.g. C0010203 for 192.1.2.3) and <client-hostname> is the hostname of the client within the SCMP network (instead of hostname, the IP address in dot-notation can also be used).

If slaveboot is used to copy the image, start the client by typing at the prompt:

# Go <start_addr.nhex>

where <start_addr.n_hex> is 4020 for Motorola boards and 400020 for PowerCore.

For more information on the slaveboot command, see the slaveboot man page.

Troubleshooting

When booting the client a message "inetd: I/O error" appears.

The client's root (/) file system is not exported with root permissions. For example, if the client's name is flipper, the /etc/exports file should contain:

/clients/server_ppc root=flipper

The downloaded boot-image cannot be executed.

This can happen if separate machines are used as servers-one for TFTP and one for RARP. This error message indicates that the TFTP-server answered the RARP request of the diskless client. Make sure that only the real server machine is able to reply to a client's RARP request.

If this is not feasible, change the boot script rc that is embedded in rc.sh. Search for the netboot utility call and add the argument s tftpserver. This argument forces the use of a specific server.

The SCMP network does not work.

Make sure that /etc/bplane.conf file contains IP addresses only (not symbolic hostnames). The /etc/hosts hosts database is downloaded after the initial SCMP configuration If symbolic hostnames are required in /etc/bplane.conf, modify the SCMP kernel specification file to include a hostname database.

Advanced Issues for Ethernet Netboot

The LynxOs Ethernet Netboot build environment supports shared boot-images. This reduces the required disk space and makes kernel updates or changes easy, because they automatically apply to all clients sharing the same boot-image.

Make sure that all of the clients can actually share the same boot image. For example, a boot image cannot be shared between several x86-based systems because they may have different network controllers.

Sharing a Boot Image

Use the following procedure to create shared boot-images.

For all clients, select the shared-KDI option when running make config:

Do you want to use a shared KDI for this client?
[y,n] (n): y

In this mode of configuration, the Makefile offers slightly different options. Instead of make all and make install, make kdi and make install_kdi are added.

For only one client, enter the following command to build and install a sharable boot image:

# make install_kdi

For multiple clients, enter the following command to build and install a sharable boot image:

# make [CPUID=xxx] install

For more information on CPUID, see See "Configuring a Second Client" ..

Cleaning Up the Working Directory

During development (or after) the working directory can be cleaned up. The following make command deletes the kernel build subdirectory.

# make clean

Client Information Files

When running the make config script, it creates a dedicated subdirectory, sysCPUID for each client. In this directory, make config creates the following files:

Kernel

Boot-image

Kernel-specific files

Client-specific files

The make config script keeps each client's configuration information in the netboot.config-CPUID file. This file can be included in shell scripts and in Makefiles. In a shell script, refer to a variable using $varname. In a Makefile, use $(varname).

Adding Files to the RAM Disk

Depending on the architecture of the system, edit the <target>.netboot.spec file and enter files and directories as needed. See the mkimage and mkimage.spec man pages for the command syntax.

More About Kernel-Specific Files

Kernel-specific files contain information or parameters that are special for the kernel being run by the diskless client.

The rc.sh file is a self-extracting script that creates the final version of the file containing the network interface name. The rc.network file is actually copied from rc.network.tmpl and is manipulated by the kernel configuration scripts to enable or disable certain network daemons depending on what modules are configured into the kernel.

More About Client-Specific Files

Client-specific files contain information or parameters that are special for the diskless client. In the standard LynxOS distribution, there are two client-specific files:

/etc/fstab

/etc/hosts

The file system description database, /etc/fstab, is built from fstab.sh. This is a self-extracting script that creates the final fstab with the proper server and pathnames.

Adding Client-Specific Files

The following files must be edited to include another clientspecific file:

Config-Netboot

Makefile

tftplist

Config-Netboot

Use the following procedure as an example to modify a hostname database.

Edit Config-Netboot.

# vi Config-Netboot

Add a default value for the file in the header section and provide an empty string if there is no default.

In the Diskless Client Configuration section, add the following code:

use_default client_hosts_file

promptstr "user prompt" $<def_var_name> <var_name>

echo ""

Makefile

The TFTPFILES variable contains the list of files needed to install as client-specific files. Add the file name here. If the file is specified it in Config-Netboot, should now be refer to using $(var-name).

tftplist

Use the following procedure to modify the tftplist file.

Edit the tftplist file.

# vi tftplist

Add another line to this file.

Provide the file name, the TFTPserver (without the path and IP address), and the final destination in the RAM disk as included by the ramdisk driver.

(Optional) Add the access permissions for the file.

Other Options

Self-extracting scripts can be used to produce a file that uses one or more of the configuration values. See the rc.sh and fstab.sh files on how to do this. The Makefile contains generic rules how to run those scripts, so only one file needs to be added $(SYSDIR)/myscript to the TFTPFILES variable and a myscript.sh file in the build directory.

Configuring a Second Client

When running make config, the script saves the information that entered in the netboot.configCPUID file. The CPUID file extension distinguishes multiple diskless clients and can be any unique string or number.

To configure a second client with a different CPUID, enter the following command:

# make CPUID=2 config

A boot image for this and other additional clients must be specified on the command line.

# make CPUID=2 all

Note: On LynxOS cross-development systems, these scripts are located in $ENV_PREFIX/sys/romkit/remote_boot and $ENV_PREFIX/sys/romkit/scmp_boot.

Note: This chapter uses the original name of the directories in the examples.

Server and Client Information Needed to Configure Netboot (Denoted by X)
Parameter	Disk-Based Server	Diskless Client	Notes
Hostname	X	X	A text string created of letters (A-Z a-z), digits (0-9), hyphen (-), and or slash (/). For example, clientppc2 is a valid hostname.
IP Address	X	X	A valid Internet Protocol address, usually of the form A.B.C.D. For example, 192.1.1.2 is a valid IP address.
Ethernet Interface	X	X	The LynxOS device name for the network interface card on the diskless client. The intro man page contains a list of valid device names by hardware type.
Ethernet Address		X	A 6 byte hexadecimal number. For example, 08:00:3E:23:8C:BD is a valid Ethernet address. Use the cnfg command from the VMEbug monitor (PowerPC clients) to find the Ethernet address. On x86 clients, look for a label on the Ethernet card. On Solaris clients, use the ifconfig ie0 command.

Note: TFTP is a potential security risk. Use caution when configuring it.

Note: The boot filename is normally just the filename. If the full path is given, it may fail to load.

Boot File Addresses for PowerPC Systems
Target	Boot File Load Address	Boot File Execution Address
PowerPC	00004000	00004020

Note: Depending on how the server is configured, the path may or may not require the full path to the netboot image (/tftboot/<netboot_file>).

Note: Most of the steps to configure the disk-based server for the PowerPC and for Sun hosts (SunOS and Solaris) are the same. Any differences that do exist are explained below.

Ethernet Netboot Configuration
Parameter	Disk-Based Server	Diskless Client
Platform	Linux Host LynxOS Cross Development Environment with pc_680 BSP installed	Force PowerCore 680
Hostname	linuxcdk	fpc1
IP Address	192.1.1.1	192.1.1.2
Ethernet Address	Not needed.	08:00:3E:23:8C:BD

**/etc/ethers file**
#Ethernet Address Client Hostname 08:00:3E:23:8C:BD fpc1

**/etc/hosts file**
#IP Address Client Hostname 192.168.1.2 fpc1

**Sample tftp configuration file**
# default: off # description: The tftp server serves files using the trivial file transfer \ # protocol. The tftp protocol is often used to boot diskless \ # workstations, download configuration files to network-aware printers, \ # and to start the installation process for some operating systems. service tftp { socket_type = dgram protocol = udp wait = yes user = root server = /usr/sbin/in.tftpd server_args = /tftpboot disable = no }

Note: If the security feature of TFTP is disabled or not supported on the server, the file name is prepended with the /tftpboot path component. Thus, in the example above, /tftpboot/hello.kdi is specified in this case.

LynxOS POWERPC Version 4.0.0 Force PowerCore PC_DRM board support package Copyright 1997-2002 LynuxWorks Inc. All rights reserved. LynxOS (ppc) created Tue Jan 02 19:49:10 PDT 2002 hello_world from C - reset machine or cycle the power to end this demo hello_world from C++ - reset machine or cycle the power to end this demo

Note: If the security feature of TFTP is disabled or not supported on the server, the file name is prepended with the /tftpboot path component. Thus, in the example above, /tftpboot/hello.kdi is specified.

LynxOS POWERPC Version 4.0.0 Force PowerCore PC_DRM board support package Copyright 1997-2002 LynuxWorks Inc. All rights reserved. LynxOS (ppc) created Tue Jan 02 19:49:10 PDT 2002 hello_world from C - reset machine or cycle the power to end this demo hello_world from C++ - reset machine or cycle the power to end this demo

Note: PXE Netboot support is available for x86 systems only.

**dhcpd.conf addition for PXE devices**
option dhcp-class-identifier "PXEClient"; allow booting; allow bootp; filename "/tftpboot/<lynxOS.0>";

**dhcpd.conf hexadecimal string addition**
option vendor-encapsulated-options 09:0f:80:00:0c:4e:65:74:77:6f:72:6b:20:62:6f:6f:74:0a:07:00:50:72:6f:6d:70:74:06:01:02:08:03:80:00:00:47:04:80:00:00:00:ff;

Note: The Kernel Downloadable Image (KDI) file, lynxOS.2, must be created by the user. Refer to the LynxOS User's Guide for more information on creating a KDI.

Note: Before booting a diskless client over a SCMP network, configure the SCMP network as described in "SCMP".

Choose the bsp for which the scmp image is needed 1: [ gen1 ] 2: [ pp_drm ] 3: [ cpci_drm ] 4: [ pc_drm ] 5: [ mvme5100 ] q/Q: Quit enter selection: 2 SCMP Netboot Configuration ************************** TFTP-Server Configuration ========================= Please specify the location of the TFTP-directory [/tftpboot]:<Return> Enter the IP-Address of the TFTP-Server (aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd) [192.1.1.1]:<Enter IP> Checking IP-Address 192.1.1.1...ok. Specify the name of the NFS-Server for the root filesystem [lynxdemo]:server-ppc1 Specify the directory containing the root filesystem on the NFS-Server [/clients/cpu2]:/clients/clientppc2 Diskless Client Configuration ============================= Enter the IP-Address of the diskless client (aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd) [192.1.1.2]: 192.1.1.2 Checking IP-Address 192.168.1.80...ok. Hosts database to use on this client [/etc/hosts]: Writing file netboot.config-1...ok.

LynuxWorks, Inc.
855 Branham Lane East
San Jose, CA 95138
http://www.lynuxworks.com
1.800.255.5969

LynxOS Networking Guide

Network Booting Diskless Clients with LynxOS

Overview

Using the LynuxWorks Netboot Scripts

Copying Scripts Before Customizing

Restrictions

Ethernet Netboot

Before Beginning

Configuring the Disk-Based Server

Enabling TFTP for LynxOS

Configuring TFTP on Cross Development System

Exporting the Root File System Via NFS

Building the Netboot Image

Putting the Netboot Files in the Download Directory

Configuring the Diskless Client

Setting Up the PowerPC System

Enabling NVRAM on the PowerPC

Disabling PReP-Boot on PowerPC

Setting Netboot Parameters Note: The boot filename is normally just the filename. If the full path is given, it may fail to load.

Booting the Remote Kernel Image

Setting Up PPC PowerCore Systems

Setting Up Thales VMPC Systems

Setting Up Thales VMPC

Example-Netbooting a FORCE PowerCore 680 Board

Preparing the Board

Configuring a Network Server

Configuring TFTP on a Linux Cross Development Host

Network Booting the Target Board

Booting from Flash Memory

Configuring PXE Netboot Support

Configuring the PXE Client

Configuring the PXE Server

Configure DHCP

Configure tftp

Configure Bootloader, KDI, and preboot files

SCMP Netboot

How Does It Work?

Configuring the Disk-Based Server

Building the SCMP Netboot Image

Starting a Diskless Client

Troubleshooting

Advanced Issues for Ethernet Netboot

Sharing a Boot Image

Cleaning Up the Working Directory

Client Information Files

Adding Files to the RAM Disk

More About Kernel-Specific Files

More About Client-Specific Files

Adding Client-Specific Files

Config-Netboot

Makefile

tftplist

Other Options

Configuring a Second Client

Setting Netboot Parameters

Note: The boot filename is normally just the filename. If the full path is given, it may fail to load.